A quiet time with Xmas stitching...

Hello Everyone!

This weekend I am resting and doing a lot of stitching. I have several Xmas gift projects still on the go that needs attention and I have a feeling I will be stitching like crazy in the next few weeks to get them done! Sadly I cannot show you any of those yet, but I have put in another hour or so this week on Gingerbread House sampler...

 
...which means a couple of more letters and a Christmas tree:) I'm planning to spend another hour on this one tonight - it is really addictive:)

Today I decided to stitch me an A from the Winter ABC designed by Fiona Baker in Cross Stitch Crazy issue 209.

Isn't it sweet? I really liked this ABC when I saw it; partly because of the winter theme and partly because it had hardly any backstitch:) Yay! I'm normally quite a slow stitcher, but this little chart came together really quickly so I'm hoping to do a few more letters:) And it was really fun to stitch too!

 

Whilst stitching and watching skiing on the telly, one of my furbabies lay sleeping next to me on the sofa...doesn't he look comfy??

 

I have a feeling he enjoyed the quiet time I spent stitching just as much as I did:)

Hugs,

Annie

A few of my WIPs . . .

Hi Everyone !

OMG , you should see the state of my livingroom table ! ! ! Or maybe not . . . ha ha !
It is totally covered with Zip Lock plastic bags filled with a variety of different cross stitch projects . . . One day I may be brave enough to share a picture of my own personal WIP chaos , ha ha , but today is not the day : ) )

I cannot show you ALL of my Xmas gift projects , but luckily there are still plenty of WIPs whose future recipients won't read this blog .

So here are a few of my WIPs screaming for attention on my livingroom table . . .

 

I have shown you these before . They are freebie gift tags designed by Fiona Crouch from Cross Stitcher magazine issue 286 . I have now finished these and I am in the process of thinking of how to use these charts again for more gift tags - hence the WIP status : ) I loved stitching these simple yet Xmassy  designs , but instead of stitching with red thread on white aida , I think I'm going to stitch them on red aida fabric with white thread . That should be equally Xmassy , don't you think ? ! Or I might stitch these designs using metallics . . . If I am going to make gift tags for all my Xmas gifts I still have about 40 to do so wish me luck : )

 



These strawberries ( designed by Lucie Heaton in Cross Stitcher magazine issue 239) you have seen before too , but now I have started the backstitch on the first few . And you were all right ; they benefited from some backstitch : ) I have now stiched 6 berries and I have at least 6 more to stitch . . . Boring , but I must say that they look yummie , so I am pleased with the progress :)

Those of you who take part in the Christmas Ornie SAL 2015 recognize this Prairie Schooler Santa , which is going to be my ornament for August : ) I love working on this Santa ( from Cross Stitch Collection magazine issue 243 ) and I am really looking forward to do the other two designs featured in the magazine : )

 

This ABC I found in Cross Stitch Collection magazine issue 246. I loved these pretty Zweigart letters, but I realised too late that I should have stitched them on coloured aida instead of the white aida band . . . I just wasn't thinking . . !  As this looks , you can hardly make out the pretty LITTLE flowers, nor the blue backstitch . Bummer ! However, I will carry on with this particular aida band , and maybe I'll stitch it onto a blue towel to bring out the blue in the letters . But next time I use this pretty ABC it will definitely not be on white aida !

 

At last I just have to show you my progress on Joan Elliott's Christmas Fairy ( from Cross Stitch Crazy magazine issue 159 ) ! I'm a huge Christmas nerd (I even have my own Christmas blog ) and in the evenings I have started to watch some Xmas movies and lit some scented Christmas Candles and then stitched on my Xmas Fairy . Therefore progress has been good : ) This is another project that I am totally in love with , so I am very happy that I have been able to find some special time in the day when I work solely on this Fairy , just for myself : )

That is all from me for this time : )

Happy Stitching!

Annie

Aida band projects!

Hi Everyone !

The last few days I have started to stitch on my old unused aida bands . Since I find counts smaller than 14-count way too fiddly , I was a bit scared of stitching on the bands . However , it was much easier than I thought ; the needle just glided through the aida holes and it wasn't tricky to count the squares either : ) The only thing I found a bit tricky was fastening my threads since the stitches are quite small on the back . . . How on earth do you guys manage to fasten threads on 18-count ? ! !

Anyway , one of the projects I started are these strawberries designed by Lucie Heaton from Cross Stitcher magazine issue 239 . I have yet to add some little white backstitch on the berries to create some texture . The strawberries are also outlined with backstitch , but I am not sure whether I am going to add it or not . . . I kind of like how they look now : ) It's also quicker to skip the backstitch . . . What do you all think I should do ? ?

Once I had stitched two strawberries , I realised that I should have added a little bit more space between them than what it was in the original design . Now I have to stitch quite a few berries to cover the width of a towel . . .bummer!

I have also started on this ABC design by Lesley Teare in Cross Stitcher magazine issue 289 . I really like this alphabet because it is quick to stitch and doesn't use too many colours AND looks really swee t! I have a feeling I am going to be using these letters a lot this autumn...:))

 

I think the biggest issue I am going to find with the aida bands is that I do not like to stitch any design

more than once - it is boring ! However , I have a feeling I am going to have to ignore those feelings this autumn too if I want to get any Xmas gifts stitched . . .

 

I really wanted to stitch some Xmas designs today too , so I decided to stitch a bit on these gift tags designed by Fiona Crouch from Cross Stitcher magazine issue 286 .

 

A easy, quick Xmas project to pick up now and then in between all my other projects : ) )

While I stitch two of my furbabies almost always rest with me on the sofa .
One of them like to rest his head on my legs (whilst hiding under a blanket) . . .

...and the other one by my right side:))

 

It is very soothing to be surrounded by my babies whilst I stitch away:)

Christmas Stitching in July!

Hello everyone!

I don't know about you all , but I am in the middle of planning my Christmas stitching right now . I have always enjoyed giving handmade - by me - gifts and Christmas presents to my nearest and dearest . Due to financial limitations the last couple of years I really need to MAKE most of my Xmas gifts this year , and I need to use my crafty stash as much as I can .

However , as you stitchers all know , stitching lots of gifts will require lots and lots of stitching time . . . and lots of browsing through patterns and cross stitch magazines . . . and lots of thread-sorting . . ! When I think of it like that it almost feels as if I am a bit late starting all this in July . . . ha ha ha !
Still , here I am and I have made a start on my Xmas stitching plans , but sadly I could not keep my eyes entirely on the ultimate goal . . .

As I browsed through a Cross Stitch Crazy magazine (issue 159) two days ago , I fell completely in love with a particular Christmas chart ! I desperately wanted to stitch it but not as a gift for someone else , but for MYSELF! Clearly this is not the best time for me to fall in love with yet a new chart , but you know what it is like . . . certain charts just grab you and demand you begin to stitch them straight away ! And luckily ( or maybe not so luckily ha ha! ) I had almost all the threads so OF COURSE I just had to make a start . . !

And what is this going to look like sometime in the future you may ask . . ?

 

A Chrismas Fairy by Joan Elliott ! Isn't she stunning ? !

 

I just have to stop falling in love with these JE charts . . . ha ha ! But how can I stop when they are all so gorgeous ? !

 

But today I have been good and put the fairy aside for a bit and started on one of my many Xmas gift projects . . .

 

This ABC chart is actually from the same magazine and designed by Lucie Heaton . I have swapped some of the thread colours for some from my stash . I am going to have to order some more threads for some of my other xmas projects , so I'll try to use my stash whenever possible .

And just to let you all know - and to warn you , ha ha - I am a complete Christmas freak and there will probably be a lot of Christmassy posts coming up here in the next five months ! !

Happy Stitching !

Annie